Fundraising for local schools slows along with economy
Posted on Thursday, October 2, 2008
BROOKE McNEELY Northwest Arkansas Times Members of the Fayetteville High School Band practice their Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade routine Wednesday during practice at Harmon Field. Students are currently raising money, in the midst of tough economic times, to fund their upcoming trip to march in the parade in New York City.
Tuesday marked a fundraising milestone for the Fayetteville High School Band, as band members were supposed to have $ 900 in their individual trip accounts for the upcoming Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade trip.
The Fayetteville Band Boosters had asked the students to meet fundraising targets on specific dates prior to the trip, which included $ 900 by Tuesday and the full $ 1, 250 by Oct. 31.
Band booster Linda Scogin admits the state of the national economy makes for a challenging fundraising environment.
She said they are hopeful the students will raise enough to attend, but the boosters may not be able to raise as much as they wanted to cover additional expenses for the trip to New York City.
“ The latest figures I have are as of last Saturday, ” band boosters Treasurer Dave Rader said. “ It was looking like half were short of that goal, but that does not include what we would give them credit for from the Bikes, Blues & BBQ or other money they might have brought in. ”
“ Times are tougher for everyone right now. So far, on our corporate fundraising goal, we’re not where we want to be, ” Scogin said.
Some of the expenses the band had hoped to provide funds for included meals on the road, band jackets, a paint job for trailer that will haul the instruments and instrument repairs.
Rader said he anticipates they will do what they can to help all students attend, but some of the other things they wanted to do might have to be curtailed if donations are insufficient.
“ Our corporate fundraising goal was $ 150, 000, and we’re not anywhere close to that right now, ” Scogin said. “ We do recognize that there are many companies that are hurting right now. There are companies that donated money to us in the past that are hurting and cannot afford to give. ”
“ A number of the big donors that we had in the past were real estate companies or people involved in development, ” boosters Vice President Count Darling said.
The largest single corporate donation so far that Darling knew of is $ 1, 500 from the Southwestern Electric Power Co. They have also received $ 1, 000 from Budgetext.
The Band Boosters most recent fundraiser, which raised $ 4, 500, was picking up trash Sunday morning following the Bikes, Blues & BBQ.
The band has weathered through hard times before leading up to major band trips.
Prior to the Rose Bowl Parade trip in 2005-2006, the Gulf Coast was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Scogin recalled that the band did not make a major fundraising push in the weeks following Hurricane Katrina because of the relief and recovery efforts going on.
The band was able to raise enough money to go to the Rose Bowl Parade in the days leading up to the trip.
One of the differences this time is that the Macy’s Parade is held earlier in the year than the Rose Bowl Parade, which took place over winter break. Darling said it is his understanding the band had 180 corporate sponsors for the 2005 Rose Bowl Parade. So far, they have 40 to 50 sponsors for the Macy’s trip.
Greenland schools “ It is real tough in this environment, yes, to raise money, ” former Greenland Board of Education member Dennis Caudle said. Caudle is part of the Greenland School Supporters, a loose-knit group of school employees and district residents, has been raising funds to help shore up the district’s finances in recent months. In July, Greenland was placed under state control due to a projected financial shortfall. The group has had several successful small fundraisers, which include rummage sales, dinners and working concessions at Razorback games, he said. They raised about $ 10, 000 at last week’s Bikes, Blues & BBQ in Fayetteville, Caudle added. Several businesses have given donations or in-kind contributions to fundraisers, he said, and many of those contributors indicated at first they wouldn’t be interested. They gave after they learned more about the district’s situation.
“ It is a tough environment, no doubt about it. Every day what happens on the news, doesn’t help it, ” he said.
The group purchased an all-terrain vehicle that it is raffling off at a Nov. 6 football game as part of a fundraising effort. Tickets have been sold for $ 5 each or five for $ 20.
There weren’t any dealers who were able to give an ATV to the groups efforts, and the Honda ATV for the raffle was purchased from a dealer in Bentonville.
“ We talked to dealerships clear from Fayetteville to Joplin, (Mo. ), ” Caudle said.
By purchasing it, the group hopes it will sell a sufficient number of tickets to exceed the purchase price and raise some money.
They have not yet sold enough tickets for to recoup the expense of purchasing the ATV, but Caudle said, “ We’re getting close. ”
They are also hoping the timing of the raffle will inspire some ticket sales, as it is two days before deerhunting season begins, he said.
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